Canadian band the Tragically Hip bid fans an emotional farewell

The liked Canadian band the Tragically Hip have played what is thought to be their closing live performance, which got under manner with flag-waving enthusiasts breaking into an impromptu rendition of the countrywide anthem, O Canada.

It seemed a fitting beginning to what was probably to be the final performance of a group referred to as “Canada’s Band”, the lead singer of which has been described as the united states of america’s unofficial poet laureate.

The Tragically Hip, extra typically referred to as the Hip, announced in May additionally that GordDownie, the band’s frontman and considered one of Canada’s largest rock stars, had incurable mind most cancers.

The Saturday night show was held on the Rogers Okay-Rock Centre in Kingston, Ontario, where the Hip commenced out more than three decades ago. Tickets had offered out within minutes.

The gig became broadcast on Canadian tv and public screenings had been held across the u. S. A., as well as at Canada’s Olympic house facility in Rio.

Amongst the ones on the display was the Canadian high minister, Justin Trudeau, who previously said Downie “has been writing Canada’s soundtrack for more than 30 years”. The top minister’s legit photographer tweeted a photograph of Trudeau, 44, and Downie, fifty-two, embracing earlier than the show.

The bluesy rock band were careful no longer to declare that the concert, which introduced to an end the 15-date Man Device Poem tour, might be their remaining, however the series of performances had an air of solemnity and party.

Downie received a diagnosis of glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumour, in December and has undergone surgical operation, as well as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. His medical doctor James Perry stated Downie had spoke back nicely to treatment, however the tumour became impossible to absolutely remove from his mind.

When the Hip announced the excursion in May additionally after the diagnosis have become public, they stated: “This feels like the right issue to do now, for Gord, and for anybody … So we’re going to dig deep and attempt to make this our first-class excursion yet.”
The band turned into shaped at a high faculty in Ontario in 1984. They hastily have become a fixture on the Canadian song scene, liberating 13 studio albums, nine of which reached number one in Canada, and prevailing 14 Juno awards. The Hip were inducted into the Canadian tune Hall of Repute in 2005.

Downie’s lyrics are peppered with references to Canada’s records and geography, from the explorer Jacques Cartier to the Toronto Maple Leafs ice hockey crew. “You write about what you understand,” the father of 4 said in a 2012 CBC interview. “And I really like this is of a. I really like my concept of this u. S .”

Being so defiantly Canadian may be one purpose why they struggled to advantage traction in the US, out-of-doors border cities such as Buffalo, where viewing parties have been additionally held. None of the band’s albums have made it into the pinnacle one hundred.

Trudeau, who has stated he loved the Hip’s tune for the duration of his excessive college and college years, tweeted his thanks.

Downie mentioned the prime minister from the stage, referencing his paintings with indigenous First Countries humans and pronouncing he expected Trudeau to be in strength for a long term.

“He’s going to be searching exact for approximately as a minimum 12 extra years. I don’t realize in the event that they can help you pass beyond that. However, he’ll do it,” Downie instructed concertgoers. Trudeau may be visible within the target market, nodding and mouthing “thank you”.

An energetic Downie and his bandmates performed a 30-track set loaded with hits and punctuated via 3 encores. They opened with four songs from their 1992 step forward album Absolutely: 50 Mission Caps, Courage, Wheat Kings and on the Hundredth Meridian.

The Hip then segued into songs from their most recent album, Man Gadget Poem, before going for walks thru tracks from track @ paintings, Avenue Apples, Phantom strength, Up to Here, Day for night time and Trouble at the Henhouse.

The band’s largest hit, Beforehand with the aid of a Century, ultimately closed the show.

Downie gestured as if he were sketching a portrait of the teary target market as the Hip played the track’s final notes. The band participants then embraced, stood arm in arm because the crowd roared, and walked off degree.

Before performing one music, Downie appeared to reference the outpouring of aid from fanatics given that his analysis. “Thanks, people, for preserving me pushing and retaining me pushing,” he said, which triggered a “Gordie” chant from the target audience.

After the show ended, the Toronto-based totally broadcaster and writer Alan Cross tweeted to say it would be remembered for a long term.